Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy's views are welcome. In respect of the earlier answer I gave, we need to get his up and running before the summer recess. It will take a lengthy period before there are hearings and so on. There has to be discovery of documents and legal representation has to be worked out for all those participating. Time could go very quickly here. I am giving a minimum time of three years for an inquiry. It could go for longer.

I want to share this with the Deputy. We have to be straight to people. The Deputy used the phrase "no matter how long it takes." How long it takes matters. If people want to say they want to stay at the terms of reference then, believe me, I have been at a range of inquiries in the past that went on for too long. The most recent was Siteserv. We were supposed to do ten modules on the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. The first one was in 2016 and we only got the report relating to it at the end of 2022. We are not coming near the other nine modules. There is a balance to be struck. We have to get it right. I am just sharing the issues that we have to weigh up to get the right model.

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